Mastering Math Manipulatives, Grades 4-8: Hands-on and Virtual Activities for Building and Connecting Mathematical Ideas

Put math manipulatives to work in your classroom and make teaching and learning math both meaningful and productive. 

Mastering Math Manipulatives includes everything you need to integrate math manipulatives—both concrete and virtual—into math learning. Each chapter of this richly illustrated, easy-to-use guide focuses on a different powerful tool, such as base ten blocks, fraction manipulatives, unit squares and cubes, Cuisenaire Rods, Algebra tiles and two-color counters,  geometric strips and solids, geoboards, and others, and includes a set of activities that demonstrate the many ways teachers can leverage manipulatives to model and reinforce math concepts for all learners. It features:    

·         Classroom strategies for introducing math manipulatives, including commercial, virtual, and hand-made manipulatives, into formal math instruction.  

·         Step-by-step instructions for over 70 activities that work with any curriculum, including four-color photos, printable work mats, and demonstration videos.

·         Handy charts that sort activities by manipulative type, math topic, domains aligned with standards, and grade-level appropriateness.

Sara Delano Moore is an independent mathematics education consultant at SDM Learning.  A fourth-generation educator, her work focuses on helping teachers and students understand mathematics as a coherent and connected discipline through the power of deep understanding and multiple representations for learning. Sara has worked as a classroom teacher of mathematics and science in the elementary and middle grades, a mathematics teacher educator, Director of the Center for Middle School Academic Achievement for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and Director of Mathematics & Science at ETA hand2mind. Her journal articles appear in Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, Teaching Children Mathematics, Science & Children, and Science Scope.

Kimberly Rimbey is an author, inventor, entrepreneur, speaker, consultant, coach, mentor, advocate, and, proudest of all, a teacher through and through. Kim currently serves as the Chief Learning Officer and CEO at KP® Mathematics and an Official Building Thinking Classrooms Consultant alongside Peter Liljedahl. A life-long teacher and learner, her heart’s work centers on equipping teachers and helping them fall in love with teaching and learning over and over again. 

Always a teacher at heart, Kim has held several leadership positions, including Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Chief Learning Officer, and Mathematica Program Area Coordinator. That said, everything Kim has done in her career is based on what she learned during her 18 years as a mathematics coach and classroom teacher. 

Kim is National Board Certified in Early Adolescent Mathematics, and she is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. Kim is the co-inventor of KP® Ten-Frame Tiles and has authored and co-authored several publications, including the Mastering Math Manipulatives and Meaningful Small Groups in Math for Corwin, Math Power: Simple Solutions for Mastering Math for the Rodel Foundation of Arizona, and, most recently, The Amazing Ten Frame series for KP Mathematics. 

Kim earned her BA in Elementary Education and Mathematics from Grand Canyon University, her M.Ed. degrees in Early Childhood Education and Educational Leadership from Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, and her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University. Kim lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where she continues to inspire teachers and their leaders.